Locking device.



s. c. HILLS.

Locm nEvlcE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. H, IBIS. Lglm f Patented Dec. 3, 1918. 3 ,f

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` Afro/Mfrs "narran santas rentrant ortica SIDNEYC. HILLS,` OFTORRINGTON, CONNECTICT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TURNER & SEYMOUR MFG. CO., OFTORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

l Specicaton of Letters Patent.`

Locxrne nevica.

Application led `November 11, 1916. Serial No; 130,718.

`and 'has for its object to provide a simple construction whereby oneelement maybe efficiently locked in operative connection with anotherelement. For instance, in curtain fixtures my improvement may be ut1lized to provide a simple arrangement whereby the curtain rod may beefficiently locked upon the brackets; my invention further contemplatesapplying a similar simple arrangement to curtains and tops forautomobiles and other vehicles and to curtains and shades of other types`whereby said our` tains, tops or shades may be efficiently locked inposition. Other objects and purposes of my improvement will appear fromthe description hereinafter and the` features of novelty will be pointedout inthe appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrateexamples of my invention and its application and inwhich Figure 1 is aplan view of a curtain fixture; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 isa faceview of my improved locking device in the form of a bracket for curtainrods; Fig. 5 is a rear view thereof; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing myimprovement adapted for use as a self-locking catch for vehicle curtainsor tops; Fig. 7 is a section thereof on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8is a face view of the locking device; Fig. 9 is a rearview thereof;andFigs. 10, 11 12 are detailviews of another form of post adapted to`be used therewith.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive the locking device by way of exampleis shown in the form of a bracket` for curtain rods and comprises adisk-shaped section 10 from the `other fastening devices 12 whereby thebrackets are fastened in positionupon the 1 casing 13 and are preferablybent as indi- C. HILLS, a

cated at 14 so that, when the brackets are secured in operative positionthe sections 10 will be spaced from the casing as shown in Fig. 3.Eachbracket further comprises a disk 15 mounted in surface engagementwith the disk-shaped section 10 and preferably having its peripheryoverla ping that of the section 10 whereby the disr`15 is rotatableupon` and relatively to said section 10 asis Patented Der/.3, 191%.

clearly shown in the drawings. Formaintaining thedisk 15 in propercoperative relation to said section 10 and against sepaf` rationtherefrom, the disk 15 may beprovided with integral projections or ears1G which extend behind the section 10 and engage the rear surfacethereof, said ears 16 preventing a separation of the sections 10 anddisk 15 without interfering with the relative rotation of the latter.The disk-shaped section `10 and the disk 15 `are provided with slots 10aand 15a respectively which are ar ranged to register with each other andare preferably though not necessarily of a keyf hole shape as shown inFig. 4, the inner ends 10h` and l5b of said slots being in the form ofarcs described about the common center of the sections 10 and disk 15 asalso shown in saidFig. 4.

The curtainrod 17` which is intended for y connection with the bracketsso far described opposite ends with projections or studs 18j" havingheads 19 located at their` free ends as shown in Fig. 3. The projectionsare constructed so as to fit into the inner end portions 10b and15D ofthe slots 10L1 and 15a while the heads 19 are of a diameter adapted toreadilypass through the enlarged outer ends of said slots but too greatto pass through the inner end portions 10b and 15b thereof, it beingunderstood that the diams?` `ter of thecurtain rod'` at its `ends isalso greater thanthe width of said inner` end portions 10b and 15".` Thedistances between saidheads and the ends ofthe rod 17 or in other wordsthe length of the projections or studs 18 is such that when the rod isoperatively connected with the brackets the ends of the rod will be inengagement with l theouter faces `of the disks 15 and the heads ,are inregistry with the slots 1OfL of said sections 10. The heads 19 may thenbe passed inwardly through the enlarged outer ends of said slots andafter which the projections or studs 18 may be moved lengthwise of saidslots until seated in the inner ends t-hereof. In this position theheads 19 are in engagement with the rear surfaces of the disk-shapedsections 10 and project trans` versely beyond the opposite sides of theportions 10b of the slots 10 while the end surfaces of the rod 17similarly engage the outer faces of the disks 15. The rod 17 is thusfirmly supported in operative position andl may be locked againstvunintentional removal from said brackets by simply rotating the disks 15relatively to the diskshaped sections 10 a sutiicient distance to bringthe slots 10aM and 15a of each bracket out of registry with each other.The degree of rotation is preferably such that the outer ends of theslots 10a are completely covered by solid portions of the disks 15 sothat an accidental or unintentional disconnection of the rod 17 from thebracket is impossible. In other words the actuation of the disk 15 willform a closed central opening in each bracket for theV accommodation ofthe projections 18 and through which it is impossible to force the head19; at the same time access to the enlarged outer ends of the slots 10aand 15a will be cut olf so that the curtain rod is securely connectedwith the brackets and locked thereon against any material movement inany direction. To permit the rod 17 to be disconnected from saidbrackets it simply necessary to rotate the disks 15 suiciently to againbring the slots or recesses 15a into registry with the slots or recesses10a. whereupon by moving the projections or studs 1S outwardly in saidslots, the heads 19 maybe readily withdrawn through the outer, enlargedends of saidv slots.

1n Figs. 6 to 9 1 have shown another example of the many uses to whichmy improvement may be adapted. 1n these figures Q0 designates a sheet ofmaterial which may represent a sectionofv an automobile| or othervehicle top or curtain, a part of a shade or any other covering orsimilar arrangement which in operation is intended to be detachablyfastened to another elemen t. Similarly 13a may represent part of anautomobile or other vehicle, a section of a .window or door casing orany other elemoit In. the example under discussion the locking devicealso comprises a. disk-shaped member 10c which is provided with lugs` orprongs 11 which extend through and whereby said disk-shaped member 10Cis secured to the material 20 so as to be carried thereby. The said lugsor prongs 11 extend from said disk-shaped member 10c at points withinthe periphery thereof, the purpose of which will be clear from thedescription hereinafter. Each locking device in the present caseincludes also a disk 15c mounted in surface engagement with thedisk-shaped section 1()C and preferably having its periphery overlappingand turned under the periphery of said disk-shaped section 10C. Viththis arrangement the disk 15C which corresponds to the disk 15 of theform first described is rotatable upon and relatively to the disk-shapedsection 10c corresponding to the section 10 hereinbefore mentioned inthe same manner as in the example illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.The arrangement of the lugs 11 within the periphery of the section 10cprevents said lugs from interfering with the rotation of the disk 15C.

The disk-shaped section 10c and the disk 15c are also provided withslots 10d and 15d which are arranged to be brought into and out ofregistry with each other b y a movement of the disk 15d in the same wayas in Wigs. 1 to 5 and in the illustrated examph are also of key-holeshape. The slots 1U and 15d may also be located on the member 10C anddisk 15C respectively in the same way as in said figures; in the presentillustration the material 20 is also provided with a slot or aperturelocated in registry with the slot 10d of the member 10C.

The locking device at present being described is arranged to cooperatewith a projection or stud 18a corresponding to the projection or stud 18and likewise provided with a head 19 corresponding to the head 19, theprojection 1Sn in the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 comprising a stud orpost which extends perpendicularly outward from a plate 21 adapted to besecured upon the element 13CL in any suitable manner as by screws 22,said element as before stated being partof an automobile or othervehicle, or a window or other casing, ctc. Instead of constructing theprojection and head as shown in Figs. G and 7 the arrangementillustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 may be followed. In this form thestructure coniprises a plate 21n cut out as at 21D and formed with anintegral headed tongue bent at approximately rightangles to said plate:21a to form a projection or stud 18b having the head 191. 1n otherwords this form may be stamped from sheet metal and then bent to therequired shape, the plate 21a being provided with suitable openings forthe aecommodation of screws 22 or other fastening means whereby saidplate is secured upon the element 13,

The method of connecting and disconnecting the locking` device and theprojection is the same as in Figs. 1 to 5 and is accomplished byactuating the disk 15c relatively to the disk-shaped section 10c inexactly the same Way as described With respect to said gures. Theembodiment at present being described also possesses all of theadvantages of the example first referred to herein..

It will be noted that in the forms shown in Figs. 6 to 12 the projectionor stud 18a Vor 18b as the case may be, when operatively combined withthe locking device extends through the slot 20a of the material 20, inaddition to passing through the slots l0d and 15d.

When my improvement is in use the projection of Whatevernature the samemay be or Wherever the same may be located Will be held againstunintentional disconnection from the locking device either by a forceexerted in the direction of the axis of the projection or by a forceexerted in the direction of the diameter for instance of the disks l5and 15C. Thus in both of the illustrated examples of my invention itwill be apparent that any strain or stress which may be exerted by thecurtain rod on the one hand and by the material 20 or the projection orstud 188L on the other hand can have no effect tending to open thelocking device or break the operative connection between said lockingdevice and its coperating projection.

1f desired the locking device, as an addi` tional precaution againstaccidental opening, may be provided With any suitable means for lockingthe disk 15 or 15c against unintentional rotation relatively to thedisksliaped section 10 or 10c. For instance a recess or depression 22may be formed in the outer face of the disk-shaped section 10 or l0c anda coperating projection 23 located upon the adjacent or inner face ofthe disk 15 or 15C, the said recess and projection being so located uponthe device as to be in engagement when the disk l5 or 15e is in itslocking position. 1n other words When the projection 22 is located inthe recess 21 a force sufficient to remove the projection from saidrecess Will have to be exerted upon the disk 15 or 15c before it can berotated relatively to the disk-shaped section 10 or 10. 1t will ofcourse be evident that the location of the recess and projection Withrespect to the disk-shaped section and the disk may be reversed Withoutaffecting the efficient operation thereof and also that other suitablemeans may be provided for securing the same result.` 1n some casesadditional means may be Provided for ar` resting the movement of thedisk 15001* l5c When the slots 15, 15d thereof are in registry `vviththe `slots ,10a and 10d of the diskshaped sections l0 and 10.Furthermore the said slots may loel diiferently shaped than illustrated,the same being true of the projections; itis further to be understoodthat equivalent devices may be substituted for the projections andslots;` the form shown anddescri'bed simply being examples Variouschanges in the `specific forms shown and described may be made Withinthe scope of the ,claims Without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim: i

l; 'lhe combination of a circular plate provided with a key-hole slotlocated entirely Within its periphery, the outer end of said slot beingits largest portion, means carried by said plate for securing it inoperative position, a disk located in surface einlgagement With saidplate and provided with a key-hole slot located entirely Within itsperiphery, the outer end of said slot `being its largest portion, saiddisk being rotatable upon said plate to move said slots into and out ofregistry With each other, peripheral means whereby said'plate and diskare .maintained in cooperative relation anda stud having a head arrangedtojpass in an axial direction through the registering largest portionsof said slots and of a size greater than the smaller portions thereof.

2. The combination `of a circular` plate provided With a key-hole slotlocated entirely Within its periphery, the outer end of said slot beingits largest portion, a slieetlike element having a key-hole slot locatedentirely Within.. its boundaries in registry with the slot of saidplate, means for securing said plate in surface engagement with saidelement, a disk located in surface engagement with said plate andprovided with j iso 3. The combination of a plate out away at anvintermediate portion, an integral stud bent outwardly at said cut-outlportion and extending substantally perpendicular to 5 said plate7 anintegral head at the free end of said stud7 a disk-shaped member havinga slot through which said stud extends, and a disk rotatably mounted insurface engage ment with said member, said disk being rotatable to moreits slot into and out of 10 registry with the rst named slot wherebysaid stud is looked against removel from said member or released.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SIDNEY C. HILLS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing;- the Commissioner of Eatentl.

Washington, D. C.

